Northcom says Russian nuclear bombers violated U.S. airspace during arctic war games

The U.S. Northern Command and joint U.S.-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) Command said two Russian bombers violated U.S. airspace near Alaska during recent arctic war games.

Disclosure by the command in charge of U.S. homeland defense followed a report in the Free Beacon quoting U.S. officials who said the Russian aircraft had threatened U.S. air space but did not cross into it and were met over the Pacific by U.S. F-15 interceptor jets.

There was a single out-of-area patrol by two Russian long range bombers which entered the Alaska ADIZ that were visually identified by NORAD fighters, John Cornelio, chief spokesman for Northcom, said in an email response to questions about the recent war games.

ADIZ is the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, a line of airspace surrounding Alaska used by the military to monitor aircraft threats.

On Capitol Hill, a senior House Republican expressed concern over the Russian war games.

These latest reported actions show what the Russian Federation thinks of the reset the Obama administration desperately continues to push, said Rep. Michael R. Turner (R., Ohio), chairman of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee.

Incursions into our airspace, along with their threats to attack our missile defense systems, show President Putins aggression in the face of President Obamas flexibility, said Turner.

Turner was referring to open-microphone comments made by the president during a meeting in March with then-Russian President Dmitri Medvedev. Obama was overheard telling the Russian leader not to pressure him during the election and promising more flexibility in negotiations with Moscow on missile defenses after his presumed reelection.

Washington and Moscow remain at odds over U.S. and NATO plans to deploy missile defenses in Europe that Russia regards as a threat to its strategic forces and that the United States insists will be limited for use against Iranian missiles.

Cornelio, the Northcom spokesman, identified the Russian aircraft were Tu-95MS bombers that are capable of carrying a variety of payloads, including nuclear weapons.

NORAD continues to monitor and identify all flights approaching the Air Defense Identification Zone, he said, noting that Russian jets observed international flight rules and their activities were conducted in a professional manner.

As is their right, the Russian Air Force continues to fly in international airspace, Cornelio said.

Cornelio declined to answer further questions, including whether the Russians notified the United State in advance of the Alaska air intrusions and whether national command authorities were notified.

Cornelio sought to play down the Russians arctic war games, which a Russian military spokesman said simulated attacks on enemy air defenses and other strategic targets.

Russia and NORAD routinely exercise their capability to operate in the North, Cornelio said. These exercises are important to both NORAD and Russia and are not cause for alarm.

The spokesman said the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone is not a defense line but a zone of identification marking air space.

He said the majority of the Russian exercises were conducted mostly within Russian airspace and over the central Arctic Ocean, far from the Alaskan and Canadian Air Defense Identification Zones.

Other defense officials said the exercises, which began June 18, coincided with the meeting in Mexico between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Obama. Both leaders appeared unfriendly toward each other in photos and videos of the summit encounter.

Officials said the administration made no protest of the incursions and kept details of the transit into U.S. airspace secret until the exercises appeared in the U.S. press.

Some 30 strategic nuclear bombers and support aircraft, including refueling tankers and airborne warning and control aircraft, took part in the maneuvers that ended Monday.

They included the Bear H and Tu-160 Blackjack nuclear-capable bombers.

The arctic exercises by the Russians are raising concerns among European and North American governments regarding efforts by Moscow to seek control over the resource-rich arctic territory, a strategic transit point for international bombers since the Cold War.

Defense officials believe the Russian war games simulated strikes using long-range cruise missiles against the U.S. missile defense interceptor base at Fort Greely, Alaska, as well as strikes on strategic radar systems based on the Aleutian island chain.

The maneuvers also likely practiced targeting the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline.

A Russian military spokesman, Air Force Lt. Col. Vladimir Deryabin, was quoted in Russian press reports as saying the purpose of strategic exercise involved practice destruction of enemy air defenses and strategic facilities.

When Korean Air Lines Flight 007 violated Soviet airspace on 1 September 1983, the Soviet Air Defence Forces scrambled 3 Su-15 interceptors and shot the 747 out of the sky. 269 people were killed including 62 Americans.

Not that anyone is going to bother to carefully read the article (might slow down the quick posting of ill-informed kneejerk posts). As is now routine, the article was written by someone that doesn't have the foggiest idea of what they are talking about but and was simply trying to get page hits from clueless people looking for a way to be outraged. The article is deceptively worded, either reflecting a) stupidity or b) a deliberate attempt to distort the truth

1) The ADIZ IS NOT SOVEREIGN US AIRSPACE. It extends hundreds of miles offshore of Alaska, and the U.S. doesn't "own" it.

2) This has been a routine occurrence in many previous administrations, and happened repeatedly at the end of the Bush administration. We've not been shooting down Russian bombers in the ADIZ previously so it's no suprise we didn't this time.

3) The US military is itself instructed to ignore the ADIZes of foreign countries.

Please! Those old TU-95 Bears are nearly 60 years old, prop driven, and cruise at less than 400 mph. They have the radar signature as big as a battleship and were likely tracked by an F22 sitting on the ground at Elmendorf (Anchorage).

...Interesting that very little coverage could be found on this several day exercise in the MSM , and what I did find was pictures of the older Bear class bombers and not the newer and more sophisticated hardware. So , does anyone recall what happened to mother Russia when we simultaneously parked all of those subs on their back door ? Thats right , they fell , and by the way, 1983 was put in checkmate.

14
posted on 06/28/2012 9:40:22 PM PDT
by mark8express
("Mess With The Best" and you know the rest !!!)

You are once again mistaken. Then why is 90% of our operational strategic warheads deployed on ICBMs are SLBMs? Why not on bombers? I live 13 miles from Minot AFB and it takes 9-10 minutes for 15 B-52's to get off the ground.

IMO, if the violation has really took place it is a diplomatic move.
NATO told it was bad to down NATO combat aircraft in sovereign Syrian airspace and Russians are there to check what would NATO say about Russian aircraft in NATO airspace.
It is a loose-loose situation for State Dept to both condemn this flights and take measures to be caught on double standards or to show weakness ignoring it.
Checkmate.

Obama was talking with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev when neither of them realized that their conversation was being picked up by microphones. Here is what they said:

Obama: On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved, but its important for him to give me space.

Medvedev: Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you ...

Obama: This is my last election. After my election, I have more flexibility.

Medvedev: I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.

This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility. That statement tells us much about the presidents mindset.

The specific mention of missile defense is worrisome enough. Mr. Obama has retreated from the missile defense plan that was negotiated with European allies during the George W. Bush administration. Apparently, he is signaling Moscow that he intends to retreat further. The clear implication from the presidents comments is that he cannot tell the American people before the election what he plans to do after the election.

In addition, there is the phrase on all these issues, implying more is at stake than just missile defense.

Appeasement: From ObamaCare to recess appointments, honoring the Constitution has not been an administration hallmark. But when it comes to betraying secrets to mollify the Russians, it becomes a document the president hides behind.

It was bad enough that the 2012 defense authorization bill signed by President Obama set America on a downward spiral of military mediocrity.

He also issued a signing statement, something he once opposed, saying that language in the bill aimed at protecting top-secret technical data on the U.S. Standard Missile-3  linchpin of our missile defense  might impinge on his constitutional foreign-policy authority.

Section 1227 of the defense law prohibits spending any funds that would be used to give Russian officials access to sensitive missile-defense technology as part of a cooperation agreement without first sending Congress a report identifying the specific secrets, how they'd be used and steps to protect the data from compromise.

The president is required to certify that any technology shared will not be passed on to third parties such as China, North Korea or Iran, that the Russians will not use transferred secrets to develop countermeasures and that the Russians are reciprocating in sharing missile-defense technology.

Russia has revealed details of its ambitious plan to upgrade its army over the next ten years, planning to spend US$650 billion on the project.

­The unveiled large-scale plans of the Russian defense ministry propose the spending of vast sums of money up to 2020.

First and foremost, Russian defense will focus on the development of strategic nuclear weapons, construction of over 100 military vessels for Russian Navy, including construction of four originally French-made Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, and the introduction into the Air Force of over 1,000 helicopters and 600 military planes, including fifth generation PAK-FA fighter.

Most of the military hardware will be equipped with next-generation weaponry.

It's not that Obama's 'wimpy'. Rather, he's on the same "new world order" page with KGB Putin and the ChiComs. Also Hugo Chavez._____________________________________________________

From the Sino-Russian Joint Statement of April 23, 1997: "The two sides [China and Russia] shall, in the spirit of partnership, strive to promote the multipolarization of the world and the establishment of a new international order."

"Joint war games are a logical outcome of the Sino-Russian Friendship and Cooperation Treaty signed in 2001, and reflect the shared worldview and growing economic ties between the two Eastern Hemisphere giants."

We are creating a new world, a balanced world. A new world order, a multipolar world, Chavez told reporters during a visit to Communist China, one of many. His new world order includes [RUSSIA], China, Iran,... and a significantly weakened United States, he explained.

From the Russian News and Information Agency: July 27, 2006 "'I am determined to expand relations with Russia,' Chavez, known as an outspoken critic of what he calls the United States' unilateralism, told the Russian leader, adding that his determination stemmed from their shared vision of the global order.":http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060727/51913498.html ______________________________________________________________

President Obama and Venezuela dictator Hugo Chavez at the 2009 Summit of the Americas in Trinidad.Note the "soul bro" handshake. (my caption)

A video has surfaced of Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama talking on his plans for strategic issues such as nuclear weapons and missile defense.

The full text from the video, as released, reads as follows:

Thanks so much for the Caucus4Priorities, for the great work you've been doing. As president, I will end misguided defense policies and stand with Caucus4Priorities in fighting special interests in Washington.

First, I'll stop spending $9 billion a month in Iraq. I'm the only major candidate who opposed this war from the beginning. And as president I will end it.[not win it -etl]

Second, I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending.

I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems.

I will not weaponize space.

I will slow our development of future combat systems.

And I will institute an independent "Defense Priorities Board" to ensure that the Quadrennial Defense Review is not used to justify unnecessary spending.

Third, I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. To seek that goal, I will not develop new nuclear weapons; I will seek a global ban on the production of fissile material; and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert [they are NOT on "hair-trigger alert" now -etl], and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenals.

You know where I stand. I've fought for open, ethical and accountable government my entire public life. I don't switch positions or make promises that can't be kept. I don't posture on defense policy and I don't take money from federal lobbyists for powerful defense contractors. As president, my sole priority for defense spending will be protecting the American people. Thanks so much.

"MissileThreat.com is a project of The Claremont Institute devoted to understanding and promoting the requirements for the strategic defense of the United States."_____________________________________________________

2008 Pentagon Report (March 2008): China's Growing Military Space Power By Leonard David Special Correspondent, SPACE.com March 6, 2008

GOLDEN, Colorado  A just-released Pentagon report spotlights a growing U.S. military concern that China is developing a multi- dimensional program to limit or prevent the use of space-based assets by its potential adversaries during times of crisis or conflict.

Furthermore, last year's successful test by China of a direct-ascent, anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon to destroy its own defunct weather satellite, the report adds, underscores that country's expansion from the land, air, and sea dimensions of the traditional battlefield into the space and cyber-space domains.

Although China's commercial space program has utility for non- military research, that capability demonstrates space launch and control know-how that have direct military application. Even the Chang'e 1  the Chinese lunar probe now circling the Moon  is flagged in the report as showcasing China's ability "to conduct complicated space maneuvers  a capability which has broad implications for military counterspace operations."

Putin praises Cold War moles for stealing U.S. nuclear secretsReuters ^ | Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:04pm EST | Steve Gutterman "Putin's remarks referred to the dawn of the Cold War more than half a century ago, but they echoed a message he has made loud and clear more recently: that the United States needs to be restrained, and Russia is the country to do it.

KGB Putin thinks the "COLLAPSE" of the mass-murdering communist Soviet Union was the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th Century"

"the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the [20th] century" -Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the collapse of the Soviet Union... "World democratic opinion has yet to realize the alarming implications of President Vladimir Putin's State of the Union speech on April 25, 2005, in which he said that the collapse of the Soviet Union represented the 'greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century.'http://www.hooverdigest.org/053/beichman.html____________________________________________________

"'The Black Book of Communism,'; a scholarly accounting of communisms crimes, counts about 94 million murdered by the supposed champions of the common man (20 million for the Soviets alone), and some say that number is too low."

If Russia is truly done with Communism and are now Capitalists, why would they still support Marxist dictatorships such as Venezuela, Cuba, other far left regimes throughout Latin America, the ChiComs and North Korea? Their criticisms of Obama being a Socialist are bogus. If they really are now opposed to Socialism/Communism they would join us (pre-Obama) in condemning these regimes, not help build them up._____________________________________________________

Did Communism Fake Its Own Death in 1991?American Thinker ^ | January 16, 2010 | Jason McNew

In a [] 1984 book [New Lies for Old], ex-KGB Major Anatoliy Golitsyn predicted the liberalization of the Soviet Bloc and claimed that it would be a strategic deception. ..."

"Golitsyn's argument was that beginning in about 1960, the Soviet Union embarked on a strategy of massive long-range strategic deception which would span several decades and result in the destruction of Western capitalism and the erection of a communist world government."

"Golitsyn published his second book, The Perestroika Deception, after the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991. This book contained further analysis of the liberalization, in addition to previously classified memoranda submitted by Golitsyn to the CIA. The two books must be read together to get a complete picture of Golitsyn's thesis."

The exercise involves about 3,000 Russian and Chinese servicemen, nearly 300 units of army military equipment and over 40 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Photo: BMP-86A infantry fighting vehicles of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China.

WASHINGTON, March 26 (UPI) -- The continuing tensions over Russia's refusal to sell its state-of-the-art land warfare advanced weapons systems to China hasn't interrupted the rhythm of major joint military exercises between the two major land powers on the Eurasian landmass. The latest in the regular, biennial series of exercises between the two nations has been confirmed for this summer.

The next in the now well-established series of exercises called Peace Mission 2009 will be carried out in northeastern China, the Russian Defense Ministry announced March 18, according to a report carried by the RIA Novosti news agency.

The first bilateral Peace Mission maneuvers -- described at the time as counter-terrorism exercises -- were held in Russia and the eastern Chinese province of Shandong in August 2005. As we reported at that time, they were a lot bigger than mere counter-terrorism exercises. Warships, squadrons of combat aircraft and more than 10,000 troops were involved carrying out landings against hypothetically hostile shores. The maneuvers also involved large-scale paratroops drops. The scale and nature of those exercises suggested a trial run for a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan with Russian support. ..."

CHEBARKUL, Russia (Reuters) - Russia and China staged their biggest joint exercises on Friday but denied this show of military prowess could lead to the formation of a counterweight to NATO.

"Today's exercises are another step towards strengthening the relations between our countries, a step towards strengthening international peace and security, and first and foremost, the security of our peoples," Putin said.

Fighter jets swooped overhead, commandos jumped from helicopters on to rooftops and the boom of artillery shells shook the firing range in Russia's Ural mountains as two of the largest armies in the world were put through their paces.

The exercises take place against a backdrop of mounting rivalry between the West, and Russia and China for influence over Central Asia, a strategic region that has huge oil, gas and mineral resources.

Russia's growing assertiveness is also causing jitters in the West. Putin announced at the firing range that Russia was resuming Soviet-era sorties by its strategic bomber aircraft near NATO airspace.

In foreign policy its critical to know thine enemy. So American policymakers should be aware that Russia and China are inching closer to identifying a common enemy  the United States.

The two would-be superpowers held unprecedented joint military exercises Aug. 18-25. Soothingly named Peace Mission 2005, the drills took place on the Shandong peninsula on the Yellow Sea, and included nearly 10,000 troops. Russian long-range bombers, the army, navy, air force, marine, airborne and logistics units from both countries were also involved.

Moscow and Beijing claim the maneuvers were aimed at combating terrorism, extremism and separatism (the last a veiled reference to Taiwan), but its clear they were an attempt to counter-balance American military might.

Joint war games are a logical outcome of the Sino-Russian Friendship and Cooperation Treaty signed in 2001, and reflect the shared worldview and growing economic ties between the two Eastern Hemisphere giants."

Interesting that very little coverage could be found on this several-day exercise in the MSM , and what I did find was pictures of the older Bear class bombers and not the newer and more sophisticated hardware.

And on every one of these type threads the Russia apologists and Putin defenders/admirers [yes, we actually have a few) come out from under their little rocks attempting to excuse, minimize or dismiss any aggressive actions on the part of the Russians.

You seem to have a handle on this. This article blurrs the facts and is therefore deliberately inflammatory. What the Russians did was fly into a piece of international airspace that the US monitors for the purposes of early identification of unknown aircraft. This was NOT US airspace.

Both sides do this, BTW. They fly up to the other side’s Radar picket line to record electronic emissions from the other side and to measure just how long it takes before they are physically escorted out of the area.

35
posted on 06/29/2012 6:17:52 AM PDT
by Tallguy
(It's all 'Fun and Games' until somebody loses an eye!)

One major strategic advantage that the US has maintained over the Soviet/Russians is our bomber force. In times of crisis we can put planes in the air & loiter just outside their airspace. It’s the USAF equivalent of parking an aircraft carrier off your doorstep. Very intimidating.

Ballistic missiles, OTOH, are like submarines. They sit hidden and it’s difficult for the otherside to determine their actual alert status.

36
posted on 06/29/2012 6:25:38 AM PDT
by Tallguy
(It's all 'Fun and Games' until somebody loses an eye!)

I’m confused..do we still have air space? I mean, we don’t have borders. Not to mention our laws appear to be optional and or subject to change depending on the whim of our “leaders”
So, someone tell me honestly.. if we do not respect our own borders or our own laws then why would we expect any other country to do the same?

37
posted on 06/29/2012 6:33:28 AM PDT
by Leep
(Enemy of the StatistI)

In times of crisis we can put planes in the air & loiter just outside their airspace. Its the USAF equivalent of parking an aircraft carrier off your doorstep. Very intimidating.

But we can't for a moment forget who and what we have in the White House today. The SOB is on the same "new world order" page with KGB Putin, working toward a stronger Russia and China and a substantially weaker US.

the article was written by someone that doesn't have the foggiest idea of what they are talking about

Your azz doesn't know what it's talking about. Bill Gertz is one of the best in the business on Russia and China. Besides, Northcom itself said Russia violated US space.

From the article: "Northcom says Russian nuclear bombers violated U.S. airspace during arctic war games" __________________________________________________

From wiki (re: Northcom)

"United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM)[1] is a Unified Combatant Command of the U.S. military tasked with providing military support for civil authorities in the U.S., and protecting the territory and national interests of the United States within the contiguous United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico (and the air, land and sea approaches to these areas)."

The Russian aircraft never violated nor entered U.S. Airspace. They flew into international airspace in which the U.S. asserts an intention to determine the identification of entering aircraft. It could be seen as provocative, especially if U.S. air defense officials were not informed prior to the mission.

40
posted on 06/29/2012 7:16:41 AM PDT
by Lonesome in Massachussets
(The Democratic Party strongly supports full civil rights for necro-Americans!)

Republican Rep Turner, although right-on with his concerns over these continuing Russia-China, others, war games, doesn't seem to quite 'get' what Obama means by a 'reset' with Russia. Obama's 'reset' is based on the Russia-ChiCom "new world order" agenda: a stronger Russia and China and a significantly weaker US.

From the article:

"On Capitol Hill, a senior House Republican expressed concern over the Russian war games.

These latest reported actions show what the Russian Federation thinks of the 'reset' the Obama administration desperately continues to push, said Rep. Michael R. Turner (R., Ohio), chairman of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee.

Incursions into our airspace, along with their threats to attack our missile defense systems, show President Putins aggression in the face of President Obamas flexibility, said Turner.

Turner was referring to open-microphone comments made by the president during a meeting in March with then-Russian President Dmitri Medvedev. Obama was overheard telling the Russian leader not to pressure him during the election and promising more flexibility in negotiations with Moscow on missile defenses after his presumed reelection."

It’s a game,,this is old. They probe, just to see how we respond..we probe,,put a bunch of equipment off range,,see how they respond. I think there is a standing “disagreement” over where the exact boundary is,,and it’s not by much,,and in a fighter jet,.it’s mere seconds if that

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